Health News

No, it can move around; Candida can change from the simple form which causes oral or vaginal thrush to the invasive mycelial fungal form. This more sinister organism grows root-like tendrils which can actually penetrate the wall of its habitat. Instead of being a sealed unit the bowel becomes a leaking pipe through which the waste products of digestion, and the poisons manufactured in the ‘Candida chemical factory’ can escape into the bloodstream causing widespread problems. The Candida has a perfect transportation system to parts of the body which it does not normally inhabit and where there is no defence system to cope with it. The list of symptoms caused by chronic candidiasis is formidable – extremely long and with many apparently unrelated symptoms:constipation diarrhoea bloating allergies cystitis thrush acnescaly rashes nail bed infections sore tonguecracks at the side of the mouth sores in the nose ear infections athlete’s foot depression anxiety irritabilitypremenstrual tension*68\326\8*

The knowledge of the wider use of essential oils was lost for several hundred years, and more recently, about 30 years ago, it was brought over to England from France by a woman called Madame Maury, who had promoted its valuable use in skin care. As it was discovered that essential oils absorb through the fatty tissue beneath the skin, they were combined with vegetable oils and used in the form of a massage treatment, which produced a regenerative and healing effect on the whole body.
The term aromatherapy was used to describe this treatment, and from that point a system of healing was initiated which was slowly to become more widely recognized.
Although there are many sceptics who refuse to accept a therapy which has not been scientifically proven, there is no doubt that most people under stress react favourably to this form of therapy. It is therefore being introduced into some hospitals as part of the patient care programme, and student nurses are being educated in the techniques of therapeutic touch. More recently public awareness has been increased through the media, and the essential oil industry is beginning to boom.
My own interest in aromatherapy began about five years ago, when I read an article in a health magazine. I decided to experiment with Lavender and Neroli as massage oils for relaxation in my neck and shoulders. Following a neck injury I often felt discomfort from muscle spasm, and found that the gentle relaxation that the oils produced freed me from pain and tension in that area. Not only was the pain relieved, but my whole body felt better for having experienced the process. At that time I searched to find an aromatherapist who could treat me, but there was no one practising within my area, so it was then that I made the decision to train to become an aromatherapist.
I am a qualified nurse, and having worked in hospital for many years in both the general and psychiatric field, I have always been concerned that patients have been offered tranquillizers and analgesics far too frequently in order to suppress their tensions. Increased tension in muscles caused through pain, worry, or strenuous activity that the body is unable to handle, is stored beneath the surface, unable to be easily released. This creates a vicious cycle which ultimately causes lowered morale through anxiety, and as our energy levels decrease, can lead to depression and serious forms of ill health.
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